title: Two cases of death associated with the use of lithium carbonate.
abstract: Two cases of death associated with the use of lithium carbonate are described. The first one concerns a 39-year-old man who was found suddenly dead on his hospital bed. Toxicologic analysis revealed "therapeutic" levels of lithium, nitrazepam, flurazepam, and phenobarbital. The second case involves a 54-year-old woman initially treated for acute cardiac failure and hypertension, who was finally recognized as a case of lithium intoxication; she died of cardiac arrest without evident cardiac lesions and without lithium ions in serum and urine. The medicolegal aspects of both cases are discussed, with reference to the problems of diagnosis, clinical and toxicological correlations, and the medical responsibility.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium